AI Widens Tech Marketing Divide

Gartner’s 2026 Tech Marketing Benchmarks Survey reveals a widening performance gap between technology companies aggressively adapting to AI and those moving more slowly. The study surveyed 335 global tech marketers between January and March 2026.

Breakaway leaders achieving 20%+ revenue growth invest 9.6% in marketing, compared with 6.9% among slower-growing operators. Their advantage also comes from faster planning, stronger brand investment and more aggressive adoption of agentic AI.

AI is fundamentally reshaping budgets. 80% of organizations increased technology spending, while 46% reduced agency and services expenditure, indicating that automation is beginning to replace portions of traditionally outsourced marketing work.

Channel effectiveness is changing as well. PPC and paid social are under pressure as Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and zero-click discovery reshape search. Meanwhile, connected TV, podcasts, YouTube and Reddit are delivering stronger results for some marketers. AEO tools recorded the strongest investment growth at 58%.

The emerging divide is therefore about more than money. Leaders are investing more in AI skills, experimentation and organizational agility, turning marketing technology into measurable growth.